The Commercial Phase of Modern Religious Revivals

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Apr 10, 1913

The Commercial Phase of Modern Religious Revivals

Of a revival recently held in Columbus, Ohio, the Christian Herald of March 19, 1913, under the heading “What Do You Think of It?” speaks as follows:—

In view of the present discussion concerning revival methods and “the decline” of evangelism,” we submit the following statistics of a recent revival there, taken from the Citizen of Columbus, Ohio, and forwarded to us by a subscriber who attended the meetings, as an interesting and timely exhibit:—


Total converts	18,333
Offering for evangelist	$21,000.00
Collected for current expenses	19,187.81
Collected for charity	2,381.55
Collected for women of evangelist’s party	1,115.55
Total collected in campaign	44,432.68
Tabernacle meetings	96
Total attendance	825,000
Average attendance per meeting	8,593
Sunday sermons in tabernacle	93
Children’s cards (included in total converts)	3,224
Babes cared for in nursery	1,884
Total converts on last day	2,189
Revival opened	Dec. 29, 1912
Revival closed	Feb. 16, 1913

We make no comment on this, preferring that pastors, evangelists, and our readers generally should do their own thinking and form their own conclusions. If any one raises the question, “Does evangelism pay?” here is the answer. It “pays” one evangelist at the rate of nearly two hundred thousand dollars a year, which will prove (to some minds at least) that “godliness is profitable.” With these figures as a basis, conversions cost something less than $2.50 per capita. With such remarkable results in view, may we not look forward to the creation of an evangelistic trust in the near future? We do not doubt that souls were won, that evil resorts were closed, and that churches were revived and strengthened, though in what degree the latter may be true must yet appear. What we submit for serious consideration is the suggestion of commercialism which this tabulated epitome conveys. In a spiritual sense, if we may accept its claims, it eclipses Pentecost, and puts the work of all the great revivalists of the past in the shade!

Moody had two peculiarities: he would never permit his photograph to be taken if he could help it, and he invariably declined to make any personal effort, on platform or pulpit, to stimulate the financial end of his gospel enterprises.

And now, once again we ask: “What do you think of it?”

It is not difficult to understand the way such revivals are regarded by the editor of the Christian Herald, and his evident estimate of revivals of this character must be the estimate of every sensible, serious-thinking Christian.